Serbia Mourns Journalism Legend Dragoljub Zarkovic

Dragoljub Zarkovic, who died on Wednesday, was part of a generation of Serbian anti-war journalists that witnessed and reported on a most difficult time for the country.

"The editorial board of Vreme by Zare's leaving lost its own root and much of its identity. We will remember him for everything, and most of all for his willingness to carry the brunt of pressure on his own back and even sacrifice himself in order to spare the newsroom and preserve its integrity and credibility," Vreme said in a press release.

Paying tribute to the loss for Serbian journalism, many journalists posted farewell messages on social media.

"The best journalist in Serbia died. Goodbye, Zare," the former head of the Independent Associations of Journalists of Serbia, NUNS, Slavisa Lekic, wrote.

Vreme journalist Tamara Skrozza called Zarkovic's death "an irrevocable loss", while a journalist of Radio Television Vojvodina, Ljubica Gojgic, said she shared in the general sense of mourning.

Many Serbian NGOs have expressed condolences. The Centre for Research, Transparency, and Accountability, CRTA, said the death of "an uncompromising professional and a brave man is an irreparable loss for journalism and public life in Serbia".

Zarkovic was born in 1951 in Belgrade. He graduated in journalism at the Faculty of Political Science in Belgrade.

Between 1974 and 1987, he worked as journalist and editor of Politika daily, while until 1990 he worked for Borba. He was a founder of Vreme and its editor-in-chief since 1991.

He also worked and wrote for Radio Free Europe, German WDR, Italy's La Repubblica, Austria's Der Standard, and many others.

He was the...